Pressing machine



P 1942- H. E. PAIGE 2,295,126

QPRESSING MACHINE Filed Oct. 14, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VENT OR.

Patented Sept. 8, 1942 9 Claims.

This invention relates to garment or ironing presses, and more particularly to that type wherein power means is employed to close the press and apply the final pressure.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a simple and efficient means for quickly bringing the pressing elements from a fully open position to preliminary closed position, that is, a position where the pressing elements are close together ready to apply heavy pressure with the heavy pressure applied by movement of both pressing elements toward each other.

Another object is to provide means whereby after the press has been preliminarily closed through a quick acting leverage, heavy pressure is applied to the closed pressing elements through a change of leverage.

Another object is to apply the pressing force directly upon the article being pressed through the pressing elements themselves to avoid dissipating said force through the frame of the machine with consequent loss of pressure due to resiliency in the frame.

A further object is to provide means for keeping all heavy forces out of the frame and pressing head support or yoke of the press, so that these members may be made lighter with consequent saving in cost.

A further object is to confine the pressing force within an approximate circular course in p a manner analogous to a closed electrical circuit or to a closed magnetic circuit in order to reduce loss of said force.

Another object is to apply both the action and reaction of a motor generating the force directly to the pressing elements.

Another object is a construction by which the pressing elements, motor, motion transmitting means or levers between the motor and the pressing elements, the link or carrier to which the levers are pivoted, are a unit supported or suspended from a single point on the frame.

Another object is the effecting of consecutive operation of the two sets of motion transmitting means between the motor and the pressing elements respectively either by positive means or by a correlation of the ratios of the levers, so that the lever actuating one, as the lower pressing element, offers greater resistance to the motor than the lever, which actuates the other or upper pressing element, and the pressure is not applied to the lower pressing element, until the upper pressing element closes to preliminarily closed position, that is, closes to a point where it encounters the resistance of the lower pressing element.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing a press embodying this invention in open position.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l in which the upper pressing element or head has been brought down into preliminary closed position, as indicated in full lines, and in heavy or final pressure position, as indicated by broken lines.

I designates the frame of the machine, which is here shown as adapted to rest upon a table or bench.

3 and 4 designate the front and rear arms of a head carrying lever pivoted at 2 to an upward projection of the frame. 5 is the upper pressing element or head pivoted to the front end of the forwardly extending arm 3. 6 is a retracting spring connected at one end to the arm 4 and at its other end'to the frame I.

The lower pressing element is movably, and here shown as, slidably mounted in the forward portion of the frame I to have a vertical movement.

l designates the support or bolster for the lower pressing element or buck 8, this being slidably mounted in a suitable guide in the forward portion of the frame to have a vertical movement. It is located in its starting position by suitable means, as a stop, in the form of a collar on the bolster or support 1, which stop engages the upper end of the guide l on the forward portion of the frame.

The upper and lower pressing elements may be of any shape and type and covered, if desired, with standard types of covers used for any particular type of work.

It is a carrier link or lever, preferably C-shaped in general form to which two sets of motion transmitting means between the motor and the pressing elements respectively are pivoted at H and 9 respectively. These motion transmitting means, in this embodiment of the invention, are simple levers; that pivoted at H having two arms l2 and I3, and being the motion transmitting means between the motor and the upper pressing element 5; and the lever pivoted at 9 having two arms 21 and 28, being the motion transmitting means between the motor and the lower pressing element or buck. The lever arm I2 has a roller I4 mounted at I5, and said roller engages with a cam surface I6 provided on the top of the upper pressing element or head 5.

The motor is a cylinder and piston motor and both the cylinder and piston are capable of reciprocating movement consecutively, in order to utilize both the action and the re-action of the cylinder and piston. The piston rod IT is pivotally connected at I8 to the lever arm I 3. A retracting spring 2| is connected at 20 to the arm I3 and at 22 to the carrier or link III. The spring 2I acts to keep the arm I3 normally against a stop pin 23 mounted on the upper arm ofthe C link II). The arm I3 also is provided with a roller 24 mounted at 25, and. said roller is adapted to engage an arcuate cam or guide surface 26 on the frame I. The lever which comprises the arms 2'? and 28 is pivoted at 9 to the lower arm of the C lever I3 and has its arm 21 connected to a retracting spring 30 which also is connected" at 31 to the frame. The spring 3!) acts to keep the lever arm 21 against a stop pin 32 on the frame I. The lever arm 21 is pivotally connected at 43 to the lower end M of the buck support of bolster I.

The cylinder I9 is pivotally mounted on the rear end of the lever arm 28 and preferably has a projection or cam 34, the surface 35 of which engages with a roller or stop 36 mounted at 3'1 on the frame and serves as a positive means for holding the cylinder I9 from reciprocating movement, until the head is first actuated into preliminary closed position by the piston.

The retracting spring 6 acting through the arms 4 and 3, and hence through the surface [5, acts to keep the lever l against a stop pin 38 on the frame.

The lever arms I2 and I3 constitute one set of motion transmitting means between the motor and the press head 5, and the lever arms 21 and 28, another set between the motor and the lower pressing element or buck 8. These two sets are successively operable, either because of the greater initial resistance offered by the lever arm 28 or to the positive stop means, as the projection or cam 34 on the roller 36. Because of this greater resistance or because of the positive stop means, the cylinder I9 can not move downwardly until the piston rod H has been moved upwardly and the press closed to preliminary closed position. The lever arms [2, I3, however, during such movement into preliminary closed position have very little movement about the pivot I I because of the roller 24 being engaged with the arcuate or guide surface 26. Said guide surface may be of any suitable shape for the purpose, but in this instance, is shown as a radius drawn from the center of the pin 9 so that the lever arms I2, I3 will have no pivotal movement with respect to the C lever or link l0 during the preliminary closing of the press head. Hence, the lever arms I2, I3 and the C lever or link I!) move as a unit in a counter-clockwise direction about the center 9, as the roller 24 moves along the arcuate guide surface 26. During this movement, the cylinder 19' also swings about its pivot 33 in a counterclockwise direction, and hence changes its radial position to such an extent that the locking cam or projection 34 moves clear of the roller or stop 36 or from the position shown in Figure l to that shown in full lines in Figure 2. During this change of position, the lever arms I2, I3 and the C link or lever I0 have shifted to the left about the pivot 9 and the roller I4 has moved along the surface I6 of the presshead into the position shown in Figure 2 wherein it is over the median line of the head 5, so that the pressure is applied to best advantage to the head, and the yoke arm relieved of the strains of transmitting the pressure of the cylinder and piston, which movement of the roller I4 along the surface I6 has caused the head 5 to move from the position shown in Figure 1 to that shown in full lines in Figure 2 against the action of the returning spring 5. The upper pressing element or head 5 is now in contact with the work on the buck 2 in preliminarily closed position.

When the mechanism reaches the position shown in full lines in Figure 2, the roller 24 has shifted beyond or out of engagement with the surface 26 on the frame, and hence the lever arms l2, I3 can now rock about the pivot pin I I and press the roller l4 down upon the surface I6 and force the head from the position, as shown by the full lines, to that shown by the broken lines (Figure 2). Thus the head initially closes with a quick movement or short leverage and finally closes under heavy pressure with a slow powerful long leverage. In like manner, the stop or cam 34 has moved out of contact with the roller 36, due to the shifting being in a radial angle with the cylinder and piston about the pivot 33 and now the piston being stopped from movement by reason of the head 5 encountering the resistance of the buck, the cylinder I9 tends to move downwardly axially and actuate the lever arms 21, 28 about the pivot 9 in a clockwise direction, thus moving the lever arm 21 upwardly and the buck 8 upwardly from the position shown by the full lines (Figure 2) to that shown by the dotted lines.

It is apparent that the force of the piston acting through the lever arms I3 and I2 and the force of the cylinder acting through the lever arms 28 and 21 will be multiplied and applied to the head 5 and the buck B and thus great pressure is applied between the pressing surface of the pressing elements 5 and 8, and also this force is confined to pressing elements and the actuating means consisting of cylinder and piston, C link or lever I3, and the levers pivoted at II and 3 respectively, and is not dissipated through the frame I.

Upon release of the fluid pressure in the cylinder, the retracting springs 2| and 30 re-act and return the parts to their starting position.

The control of motive fluid to and from the cylinder I9 may be controlled by any suitable means, for instance that set forth in my Patent No. 2,058,495 issued October 27, 1936, or in my Patent No. 2,046,531 issued July '7, 1936.

The levers I3 and 28 constitute two sets of consecutively operable motion transmitting means between the motor I9 and the pressing elements 5 and 8 respectively. The part I0 is in effect a floating carrier or link to which the motion transmitting means or levers I3, 28 are pivoted. The arm or lever 3 is pivoted to the frame at 2 and constitutes a support for the upper pressing element or head 5, the carrier ID, the levers I3 and 28 and the cylinder and piston motors I9 and I1, and also a guiding means for guiding the head or upper pressing element 5 to its closed position. The pressing elements and actuating means including the motor are thus suspended or floatingly supported from a single point on the frame, and the frame receives little, if any, of the actuating or clamping force applied to the pressing elements.

The track 26 is means coacting with the lever l3 or the roller 24 thereof for guiding the head or pressing element 5 from open position toward closed position, and the cam or projection 34 coacting with the roller 36 constitutes one means causing the consecutive operation of the levers I3, 28. However, the leverage is primarily such that the lever 28 offers greater resistance to the force of the cylinder and piston than the lever l3, while the head is moving from wide open position toward closed position, and this greater resistance is not overcome until the head or upper pressing element 5 encounters the work on the lower pressing element or buck 8, but as a precautionary measure, positive means is provided as the cam or projection 34 coacting with the roller 36, to effect the consecutive operation of the motion transmitting means or levers l3 and 28.

Owing to the construction herein, all strains,

except the strains of supporting the avoirdupois weights of the head, upper pressing element 5, motion transmitting levers I3, 28, carrier I and motor l9, are confined to these parts, and not dissipated through a frame, and as near as practical and possible, all the force of the motor is applied to the pressing elements.

In operation, upon admission of motive fluid to the cylinder I9, when the press is open (Figure l), the piston rod I! is thrust outward and the cylinder held stationary, except for pivotal movement about the pivot 33. During the outward movement of the piston rod H, the press head is moved against the work on the lower pressing element 8 by the shifting of the roller I4 up the cam surface IS without substantial pivotal movement of the lever l3 relative to the floating carrier Ill. The head 5 is guided in its closing movement by the lever arm 3 and the lever l3 held from substantial pivotal movement about the pivot I I relative to the carrier ID by the coaction of the roller 24 with the fixed surface 26 on the frame. During the closing of the head 5, the carrier shifts about the point 9,

When the press head 5 reaches closed position (Figure 2), the roller 24 clears the end of the surface 26 and the lever I3 is free to move about its pivot ll. Also, the cam 34 clears the roller 36 so that the cylinder I9 is free to move downward and apply upward pressure through the lever 23 also pivoted to the floating carrier to the lower pressing element 8. Now pressure is applied to both pressing elements 5 and 8 through the pivotal movements of levers l3 and 28 respectively, and as both levers are pivoted to the floating carrier ID, the entire force is applied through the levers IS, 28 and the carrier [0 and none is dissipated through the frame.

What I claim is:

1. In a pressing machine, a suitable frame, cooperating pressing elements having relative movement toward and from each other, guide means on the frame for said elements respectively, a motor and two sets of motion transmitting means between the motor and said elements respectively, a carrier for the motion transmitting means, the carrier being entirely free of the frame and the motor being connected to both sets of motion transmitting means to act thereon in opposite directions, and the motion transmitting means being carried entirely by the carrier and being free of the frame, whereby the strains created during the closing of the press are confined to said elements, the carrier, the motion transmitting means and the motor independently of the frame.

2. A pressing machine comprising a frame, cooperating pressing elements having relative movement toward and from each other, the frame having means for guiding one of said elements, and connections between the frame and the other of said elements for carrying and guiding the same, a shiftable carrier common to both elements and free of the frame, and actuating means including a motor and two sets of consecutively operable motion transmitting means between the motor and said elements respectively and being carried by the carrier, the sets of motion transmitting means being free of the frame and the motor being supported by the motion transmitting means and free of the frame, whereby the strains created during the closing of the press are confined to said elements, the carrier, the motion transmitting means and the motor.

3. A pressing machine comprising cooperating pressing elements having relative movement toward and from each other, a movable carrier common to both pressing elements and free of the frame, actuating means including a motor, two sets of consecutively operable motion transmitting means between the motor and the pressing elements respectively, each including a lever pivoted to the carrier and coacting with one or the other of said pressing elements, the carrier being supported by the two sets of motion transmitting means, the motor being supported by the motion transmitting means and interposed between the same, a suitable frame, and means for supporting one of said elements from the frame and thereby supporting the motion transmitting means, carrier and motor.

4 A pressing machine comprising cooperating pressing elements having relative movement toward and from each other, a movable carrier common to both pressing elements and free of the frame, actuating means including a motor, two sets of consecutively operable motion transmitting means between the motor and the pressing elements respectively, each including a lever pivoted to the carrier and coacting with one or the other of said pressing elements, the carrier being supported by the two sets of motion transmitting means, the motor being supported by the "motion transmitting means and interposed between the same, a suitable frame, and means for supporting one of said elements from the frame and thereby supporting the motion transmitting means, carrier and motor, the motor including a cylinder and piston, the cylinder being connected to and supported by one set of motion transmitting means and the piston being connected to and supported by the other set of motion transmitting means.

5. A pressing machine comprising cooperating pressing elements having relative movement toward and from each other, and actuating means including a motor, two sets of consecutively operable motion transmitting means between the motor and said elements respectively, a floating carrier, the motion transmitting means including levers pivoted at spaced apart points to the carrier and coacting respectively with said elements, and a motor including a cylinder and piston, the cylinder being pivoted to the lever of one motion transmitting means and the piston to the lever of the other motion transmitting means, a suitable frame, and means for supporting one of said elements from the frame and guiding it in its opening and closing movement, and thereby supporting the carrier and guiding it in its movement, and means for holding one lever from pivotal movement until after the other lever has moved a predetermined distance toward closed position and operable by the change in angularity of the cylinder and piston, while one element is moving toward closed position.

6. In a pressing machine, cooperating pressing elements having relative movement toward and from each other, a suitable frame, upper and lower pressing elements having relative movement toward and from each other, an arm pivoted to the frame and to the upper pressing element, the lower pressing element being mounted in the frame to have a substantially vertical movement, a carrier free of the frame, 1evers,

cylinder and piston motor, the cylinder being pivoted to one of said levers and the piston to the other, the frame and the lever connected to the upper pressing element having coacting means for limiting the pivotal movement of the lever coacting with the upper pressing element during the closing movement of the upper pressing element, and said lever being shiftable into a position over the central portion of the upper pressing element, while the upper pressing element is being guided toward closed position by the pivotal movement of said arm, the lever coacting with the pressing element being movable free of the guiding means when the upper pressing element approaches closed position.

7. In a pressing machine, cooperating pressing elements having relative movement toward and from each other, a suitable frame, upper and lower pressing elements having relative movement toward and from each other, an arm pivoted to the frame and to the upper pressing element, the lower pressing element being mounted in the frame to have a substantially vertical movement, a carrier free of the frame, levers pivoted to the carrier and coacting respectively with the upper and lower pressing elements, a cylinder and piston motor, the cylinder being pivoted to one of said levers and the piston to the other, the frame and the lever connected to the upper pressing element having coacting means for limiting the pivotal movement of the lever coacting with the upper pressing element during the closing movement of the upper pressing element, and said: lever being shiftable into a position over the central portion of the upper press, ing element, while the upper pressing element is being guided toward closed position by the pivotal movement of said arm, the lever coacting with the pressing element being movable free of the guiding means when the upper pressing element approaches closed position, and means operated by the shifting movement of the carrier during the closing movement of the upper pressing element to normally hold the lever coacting with the lower pressing element from pivotal movement, until the upper pressing element approaches closed position.

8. A pressing machine comprising a suitable frame, upper and lower cooperating pressing elements having relative movement toward and from each other, means for supporting the upper pressing element from the frame, the frame having means for guiding the lower element, actuating means including a motor, two sets of consecutively operable motion transmitting means between the motor and said elements, respectively, a link by which the two sets of motion transmitting means are supported, the motor being supported by the two sets of motion transmitting means, all whereby the pressing elements and actuating means including the motor and the motion transmitting means are fioatingly suspended from one point on the frame and the clamping forces applied to the upper and lower pressing elements are confined to said elements, the motion transmitting means, the motor and link and the frame relieved of such forces 9. A pressing machine comprising a suitable frame, upper and lower cooperating pressing elements having relative movement toward and from each other, a supporting arm pivoted to the frame and to the upper pressing element, the frame having means for guiding the lower element, and actuating means including a motor, two sets of consecutively operable motion transmitting means between the motor and said elements respectively comprising levers, a link connecting said levers and to which they are pivoted at spaced apart points, the link being free of the frame the motor including a cylinder and piston, the cylinder being connected to the lever of one motion transmitting means and the piston to the lever of the other motion transmitting means.

HERBERT E. PAGE. 

